If you see error 53 when you update or restore your iPhone or iPad

Learn about error 53 and what to do if you see it in iTunes.

About error 53

After you try to update or restore your iOS device in iTunes on your Mac or PC, you might see error 53 in iTunes. Error 53 appears when a device fails a security test. This test was designed to check whether Touch ID works properly before the device leaves the factory, and wasn’t intended to affect customers.

For anyone who experienced error 53, Apple released an update in iOS 9.3 to allow you to successfully restore your device using iTunes on your Mac or PC. Use the steps in this article to restore and recover your device. If you believe that you paid for an out-of-warranty device replacement based on an error 53 issue, contact Apple Support to ask about reimbursement.